Hearts Talk While We Dance
by Buffybot76
Summary: It had begun to snow and although Keiko felt she should be happy that she’d gotten her Christmas wish, the emotion was devoid from her heart at the moment. Kurama/Keiko


Title: Hearts Talk While We Dance

Author: Buffybot76

Rating: PG

Pairing: Kurama/Keiko

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters nor the song in this story. I'm simply using them to amuse myself and am making no profit from it.

Author's Note: A little slideshow that I made for the fic

http : / www . youtube . com / watch ?v lx LJp 4ew aso

Just copy and paste into the url and take out the spaces. Enjoy!

It had begun to snow and although Keiko felt she should be happy that she'd gotten her Christmas wish, the emotion was devoid from her heart at the moment. Instead, she looked in shocked disbelief at the young man pacing back and forth in front of her. The cheerful sounds of the party going on in the building behind them drifted through an open window to assault her ears as she felt bitter tears welling up in her eyes, yet she fought valiantly to keep them at bay.

"Yusuke... I don't… I don't understand." Keiko whispered as a breeze blew past to stir the lightly falling snow. She shivered and wrapped her coat around her more tightly. "What do you mean 'this isn't working'?" She just couldn't believe what Yusuke, her best friend and supposedly one and only true love, was saying to her.

Yusuke Urameshi let out a frustrated sound as he raked a hand through his already slicked back hair. "What I mean, Keiko, is that I can't go on like this." He paced back past her just as she reached out and grasped his arm, stilling him.

"Will you stop with the pacing!" she demanded, a bit of anger coming to the fore and diminishing her earlier urge to cry. "Go on like what? Yusuke, you're not making any sense! Please, tell me what's wrong!"

Yusuke let out a ragged sigh as he turned toward Keiko, though his eyes didn't quite meet hers. Instead, his gaze remained locked on where her hand still grasped his arm, her delicate fingers wrapped around his wrist.

"Us."

Keiko blinked in confusion at the single word he had uttered. "What?"

Yusuke sighed again and pulled away just enough for Keiko's hand, which had gone slack with surprise, to slide from its place on his person.

"It's us, Keiko. That's what's wrong." He replied sadly as he turned and walked a few steps away, putting more distance between them both literally and figuratively as he continued. "Think about it. I mean, who are we kidding, Keiko? I'm a demon now. I'm not going to age. I'm going to stay looking like a 16 year old for a very, very long time while you continue to get older and older and… I…" He turned to glance over his shoulder and gave her a pained look. "I just don't want to put you through that." He saw comprehension enter Keiko's eyes and closed his eyes as he turned back around to face away from her once again. "I'm sorry, Keiko. But it's for the best."

With those final words, Yusuke walked away, leaving the only woman who had ever truly loved him standing alone amidst the falling snow.

Yusuke's words continued to echo in her mind as bitter tears trekked silently down her cheeks. She felt an overwhelming numbness, as if she were cold inside, her heart scooped out and replaced with the frosty substance that now covered the crown of her head and slender shoulders. She shivered slightly.

"Keiko?"

The sound of someone calling her name faintly registered. It was just enough to deter her from her downward spiral into depression and she finally looked up to see a familiar red head approaching her with evident concern in his green eyes. She wondered how long she had been standing there.

It was a concerned Kurama who made his way to Keiko's side. He had seen Yusuke escort her from the party earlier and had been curious when the Toushin had returned later, alone. He'd quietly excused himself from the group of friends who had been milling about and made his way out the door he had seen the couple exit prior. He found Keiko standing in the front yard, her slight frame shaking visibly from the cold and he approached, calling her name. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her against him in hopes of warming her somewhat while he found out why she had remained out in the cold instead of returning inside where it was warm and her friends were waiting.

"What is wrong?" He urged, giving her shoulders a slight squeeze. "Please tell me and maybe I can help."

The sound of music coming from the stereo inside drifted through the window but the two ignored it as Keiko sniffled and Kurama continued to stand quietly at her side, waiting for some sort of explanation to her bout of sadness.

_**Can I have this dance **_

_**My you're looking pretty **_

_**Is there something wrong? **_

_**Did he leave you hurting? **_

_**I don't mean to pry, but that tear in your eye **_

_**Gave you a-way **_

When an explanation wasn't forthcoming, Kurama sighed, his breath forming in a white puff that rose above his head and away on the wind. It was a given that it had something to do with Yusuke. The former Spirit Detective had a knack for doing stupid things and it appeared that this time; his carelessness had led to hurting Keiko in some way. Kurama felt his heart clench. He didn't like seeing Keiko this way, but he knew he couldn't force her to tell him what had happened. Instead, he looked up at the star-studded sky.

"The sky is beautiful tonight, isn't it, Keiko-chan?" Within the circle of his arms, he felt her jump slightly at his words, then lift her head to follow his gaze.

"Very much so, Kurama-kun." She replied softly.

_**If you don't want to talk we'll keep it quiet **_

He hummed lightly with the music that was playing as his right hand began to rub circles between her shoulder blades in a soothing manner. "You know you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to Keiko." He added. The melody from within the building continued to supply a peaceful soundtrack to the scene playing out.

_**But sometimes a heartache **_

_**Hurts worse if you hide it **_

Keiko succumbed to the combined effects and relaxed in Kurama's arms. The rhythm of the music was addicting and without thinking about it, Kurama began to sway. Surprisingly, Keiko did as well, her own arms coming up to wrap around Kurama's waist as she laid her head on the kitsune's chest.

_**I think there's a chance, one slow dance **_

_**Might ease the pain **_

The rhythmic beat of Kurama's heart lulled Keiko and she closed her eyes as the music continued to wash over both of them. It was and American song, Keiko noted and she remembered Yukina's fascination with country music which had led to Kazuma buying out the music stores to oblige her fancy. At the moment, Keiko was glad that she'd done so well in her English class so that she could understand what was being sung.

_**You have the right to remain silent **_

_**Anything that you say **_

_**As I hold you against me **_

_**Will forever be a secret, between us two **_

As she allowed the lyrics of the song to sink in, she realized how perfectly they seemed to reflect her current position as she stood in the circle of Kurama's arms. She wondered if this was how he was feeling at this very moment. Kurama was definitely feeling the combined effects of holding Keiko in his arms whilst hearing his very emotions spelled out in the form of music.

_**I've been wanting you but you didn't know it **_

_**And now that he's gone, at last I can show it **_

_**If your heart is tired, for the rest of your life **_

_**Lay your love on me**_

_**So many times my eyes have held you **_

_**Tonight please give my heart that chance **_

_**If you don't feel the need for conversation **_

_**We'll just let our hearts talk while we dance**_

Kurama's sharp intake of breath startled Keiko and they both stopped swaying. Keiko looked up at him just as he looked down at her, his eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and... something else. Keiko wasn't sure what it was she saw, but somehow it warmed her soul to see it there, a hidden emotion shining back at her from the green depths of the kitsune's eyes.

"Kurama-"

"Keiko-"

They both began at the same before breaking off simultaneously, soft laughter filling the air between them in white, whispy swirls. The chorus of the song began its second run as their laughter died away. Somehow, Keiko could sense Kurama had something to say and so she waited, licking her lips nervously. __

_**You have the right to remain silent**_

_**Anything that you say as I hold you against me**_

_**Will forever be a secret between us two**_

"Keiko... I know that perhaps this may be the most inappropriate time, but..."

_**I've been wanting you but you didn't know it**_

_**And now that he's gone at last I can show it**_

_**If your heart is tired for the rest of your life**_

_**Lay your love on me**_

Kurama broke off, realizing that everything he could have wanted to say had already been stated in the song. There was really only one thing left to do, and that was to re-inforce it with action.

He gazed down at Keiko, watching as her eyes grew wide as understanding began to take hold. Her lips parted in such an inviting way, and Kurama couldn't stop himself from taking the subconscious invitation. He dipped his head and brushed her mouth with a lingering kiss, giving just the smallest amount of pressure to convey how he felt. He pulled back slowly, watching her for any sign of rejection. Her small sigh gave him the sense that she hadn't minded at all. Keiko's eyes seemed glazed over for a moment before finally clearing, like a shroud lifting to reveal the smouldering embers of attraction that were being fanned into a tiny flame. She smiled up at him and he returned it, his hands falling to her waist and drawing her close.

And as the melody played on, they began to sway again, lost in each other.

_**If your heart is tired, for the rest of your life **_

_**Lay your love on me**_


End file.
